Apparatus for packing cigarettes and other rod-like articles



July 11, 1961 r M. POLLMANN 2,991,605

APPARATUS FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 7

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' APPARATUS FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 23, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

y 1961 M. POLLMANN 2,991,605

APPARATUS FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

July 11, 1961 M. POLLMANN 2,991,605

APPARATUS FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 23, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR.

2,991,605 APPARATUS FOR PACKING CIGARETTES AND OTHER ROD-LIKE ARTICLES Max Pollmann, Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany, assignor to Hauni-Werke Korber & Co. K.G., Hamburg-Bergedorf, Germany Filed Dec. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 782,425 Claims priority, application Germany Dec. 28, 1957 20 Claims. (Cl. '53252) The present invention relates to apparatus for packing cigarettes and other rod-like articles in which packaging containers are fed by means of a turret or the like into a linear feeder track conveying the articles during packing, for example, cigarettes, with or without a foil or like wrapper. In particular the invention relates to that type of machine in which the containers are fed to the packing track in the form of open-ended containers or beakerlike packages which are withdrawn from a stack.

In the known packing machines of this kind the containers are delivered to guide surfaces on which they are stacked one over the other and are then caused to tilt through 90 into the plane of the packing track. This movement of the containers is, however, not positively controlled and has proved for a long time to be the critical point of such machines.

Moreover, the delivery of the material to be packed from the delivery guide means to the receiving guides or holders of the linear packing track leads to difliculties since the inclusion of the turret requires the provision of gaps in the linear packing track both on the receiving side and on the delivery side, and accordingly one object of the invention is to bridge these gaps by the provision of a pocket or cell for each gap which moves or can be moved backwards and forwards into the gaps of the packing track on both sides of the pockets or cells of the turret travelling into the packing track and which coincides with the pockets or cells and with the travelling track.

By the presence both of a receiving pocket and of a withdrawal pocket it becomes possible to perform the insertion of the articles from the delivery section into the turret and from the latter into the outgoing pocket in a reliable manner. In this case it has proved advisable to ensure that the mouthpiece of the receiving pocket or cell has already commenced to enter into the pocket or cell of the turret before the latter has stopped in its position coincident with the packing track. The invention therefore provides that the pockets or cells On the turret shall be rotatable and thereby permits the turrett to be used simultaneously for shaping the containers in their movement towards the linear packing track.

For example, open-ended hard containers for cigarettes have been suggested in which extension members of the wide and narrow sides, of the container are folded through 180 so as to lie in closely adjacent planes and so that the extension flaps are brought to lie internally against the associated wide or narrow sides of the container and thus stiffen the edge parts thereof in a desirable manner.

According to the invention further the rotatable pockets or cells of the turret are controlled by cams during the step-wise rotation of the rotary member in such manner that they come into coincidence with folder devices for folding in the edge flaps of the containers.

A device of this character and in accordance with the present invention is shown on the accompanying drawing as applied to apparatus for packing cigarettes in edgestifiened open topped containers and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows part of a cigarette packing machine with the packing track, the turret, and the folder device for laying down the edges of the container.

Patented July 11, 1961 FIG. 2 shows the folding devices for laying down the edges of the container after the folding-in operation and approximately in the forward position.

FIG. 3 shows the folding device for the narrower sides before engaging therewith.

FIG. 4 shows the folding device according to FIG. 3 approximately in the foremost position.

FIG. 5 shows a view of the rotary member on a larger scale than FIG. 1 and includes certain constructional features.

FIG. 6 is a view of the rotary member according to FIG. 5 in which the two halves are shown in different plane.

FIG. 7 shows the operating elements for the reciprocating movement of the delivery pocket and the receiving pocket and also shows the upper drive portion for the turret which is timed with the pockets and the arresting device for the turret, substantially in a sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of FIG. 8. For the sake of clearness the parts in front of the arresting disc and also the arresting mechanism have been omitted.

FIG. 8 shows the operating elements in a sectional view substantially along the line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 shows the lower drive portion of the turret with the arresting gearing similar to the sectional view VIIVII in FIG. 8.

It will be understood that the features shown and described herein are intended to form part of a Cigarette handling or packing machine, and since the construction of such machines is well known in the art it has not been deemed necessary to show other machine details. It will suffice to say that a block consisting of a number of cigarettes to be packed in each container, is caused to travel in a packing track, the feed direction of which is indicated by the arrow 1, and which is interrupted to allow for the turret 2. The latter comprises pockets or cells 3, which in turn co-operate with a folding plunger 4 inserting the part-formed containers into the pockets 3. A supply pocket or cell 5 with mouthpiece 6 reciprocates backwards and forwards in the gap between guides 7 of the packing track and that pocket or cell 3 which is in line with the packing track, this being the pocket or cell in position IV thereof. There is provided a take-off pocket or cell 9 which is adapted to reciprocate between the pocket or cell 3 in position IV and guides 8 of the packing track. Displacement of the cigarettes is performed by a feed chain 10 which moves in a path which traverses the breaks in the packing track and driver elements 11 on the chain slide of the cigarette block, which may be wrapped in tinfoil, out of the guides 7 into the pocket 5, through the pocket 5 into the pocket 3 in the position IV, through the pocket 3 to pick up the container therein, and into the pocket 9 and from the pocket 9' to a point between the guides 8, after which the packed container is fed in known manner to a following working station.

As will be seen in the position I the pockets 3 are radially positioned and aligned with the plunger 4. In the positions II and III the pockets 3 are arranged parallel one to the other and to the packing track and in these two positions the two pockets 3 co-operate with the two folder devices which are fastened to a slide member 14 reciprocating on a guide 13. One folding device has a pair of folder blades 15 and 16 for laying down the wider edges of the part-formed container in the pocket 3 in the position II, and the other folder device includes two folder blades 17 and 18 (see also FIGS. 3 and 4) for laying down the two narrower sides, which is effected in the position III of the pocket 3. The folding blade 15 is rigidly connected with the slider 14 while the folder blades 16, 17 and 18 are rotatable in bearings 19, 20, 21 a ra g in t e slide .1 and execute a o t ol ed movemeat during the reciprocation of the slider 14. The control of this movement is effected by a rotatably mounted roller 22 on each of the folders 16, 17 and 18 and which co-operate respectively with cam tracks 23 or 24.

The plunger -4, the rotary member 2 and the folder devices co-operate as follows:

The blank, in the present case intended for a stiff opentop package, is folded by the plunger 4 to provide an open, part-formed package by means not shown but well known in the art, and this is inserted into the pocket 3 in the position I. Then the turret 2 moves one step forward. As will be seen from the various positions of the pockets 3 the movement of them is so controlled that they adopt in each case the desired relative position to the turret 2 or to the parts with which they are to cooperate. This control will be explained below.

In the movement from position I to position II the pocket 3 is moved in such manner that it moves from its radial position to a position parallel to the packing track and to the reciprocatory movement of the slider 14. It is thus moved through an angle of 90 relatively to the pocket 3 in the I position. Shortly before the end of this feed step the bottom wide flap 25 (see also FIG. 2) is brought into engagement with the folder blade 15 and during the further movement of the pocket 3 is folded in wardly. After the stoppage of the turret 2 the slider 14 moves towards the turret, and the folder 16, controlled by the roller 22 and the cam track 23, engages the top wider flap 26 and folds this inwardly during the travel of the roller 22 over the arcuate part 23a of the cam element 23. The folder 15 has simultaneously folded in the inwardly part-folded flap 25 further. This successive folding is necessary in order that the flaps 25 and 26 shall not meet one another in the course of folding. Upon the further movement of the slide member 14 the blades 25 and 26 are pressed against the inner walls of the associated sides of the container. Then the slider member with the folder means again move out of the pocket 3 and the latter moves from its position II to the position III but so that their parallel positions to the conveyor track are retained.

In the position III the narrower flaps 27 and 28 are folded in by the folder blades 17 and 18 as shown in FIG. 3 and in the same Way as already described during the movement of the slider member 14. This folding in can in this case be effected simultaneously since the narrower side flaps 27 and 28 do not conflict in their movement. As already described for the folder blades 16, the folder blades 17 and 18 operate during the forward movement of the slider 14 while traversing the arcuate parts 24a of the cam element 24 and thus fold the flaps 27 and 28 inwardly during the further movement of the rollers 22 against the straight part 24b of the cam track 24 to. press them against the inner walls of the narrower side of the container as is shown in FIG. 4.

The pocket 3 is then brought into the position IV after the outward movement of the slider 14, in which the container located in it is coincident with the means 7 and 8 guiding the cigarette block, and with the inner walls of the supply pocket as well as the take-off pocket '9. During the movement of the pocket 3 into the position IV the supply pocket 5, into which the tinfoil covered block has been inserted preliminarily by the chain hooks 11, travels from the position indicated in chain dot lines together with the chain hook 11 towards the pocket 3 moving into the position IV.

Since very little time is available the moving of the pocket from position III to position IV is so controlled that its front bottom edge has already moved into the lower plane of the packing track 1 before stoppage in the position IV so that the mouthpiece 6 can be inserted into the pocket already during the movement of the pocket 3 to its position IV. After stoppage of the pocket 3 in the position IV-the supply pocket 5 with the mouthpiece 6 is located in the position shown in full lines in engagement with the pocket 3 arranged now in the travelling track. Since-the chain 10 is continuously moving the cigarette block has already been fed through the pocket 5 with a reduction in the speed of movement of the supply pocket 5 and thereafter is slid into the container in the pocket 3. On the further movement of the chain hook 11 this slides the hard container into the withdrawal pocket 9 located on the other side of the pocket 3 (position shown in full lines on the drawings). As soon as the hard container has been moved sufliciently far forward by the chain hooks (in general not completely) the withdrawal pocket 9, the hard container and the chain book 11 (shown in the dotted position) move in the direction towards the guides 8 and, correspondingly to the speed difference between the pockets 9 and the chain hooks 11, a relative movement is effected between them and thus a displacement of the hard container within the pocket. The movement of the pocket 9 ends in the position shown in chain dot lines. The chain hooks 11 feed the filled pocket between the guides 8 and deliver them to thefollowing treatment station. Any appropriate means may be provided for moving the pockets 5 and 9; they may be positively driven or they may be freely mounted and subjected to the action of springs tending to return them to the starting positions after they have been moved to the delivery position (for each of them) by engagement with the cigarette block within them.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an embodiment of the control of the pockets 3 during the rotation of the turret 2. Each pocket 3 is secured to a holder 30. At both ends of the holder 30 are provided stub shafts 31 (see FIG. 6 top) and 45 (see FIG. 5 bottom), which are rotatable in bearings 32 and 43. A gear wheel 33 is fastened to the free end of the stub shaft 31 nearest the machine frame, which engages a toothed segment 34 fastened to a lever 35 rotatably by a support shaft 36 in a bearing 37. A bearing pin 35 is secured to the free end of the lever 35 and a guide roller 39 is rotatably mounted thereon, which moves between the two cam surfaces of an internal cam track 40 which is so designed that it moves the pockets 3 in the manner already described through the control means referred to. The bearing 32 in which the stub shaft 31 is guided is arranged in a disc 41 and the pockets 3 are arranged between this disc and a star-shaped support member 42. The latter serves as a bearing plate for the bearings 43 in which the other stub shafts '45 of the holders 30 are mounted.

When folding in the flaps 25, 26, 27, 28 according to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is necessary to support the bottom of the packet. This is effected by means of projections 46 (see FIG. 5) which are secured to adjustable levers 47 which in turn are pivotal on bearing pins 48. 'A compression spring 49 engages the other side of the lever 47 approximately in the direction of the projection '46 and which is supported at its other end against a projection 50 fastened to the holder 30.

Furthermore, a control arm 51 is secured to the lever 47 which is arranged approximately radially and cooperates with a stop pin 52 mounted in a slot 12 of the star-shaped member 42 so that each pin 52' can be adjustably fastened therein for setting up purposes. By the varying relative positions between the pockets 3 or the control lever 51 and the star-shaped support member 42 or the stop pins 52, the projection 46, which in the positions I, II and III engages over the rear upper end 3a of the pocket 3, serves in the position IV to tip it upwardly by the engagement of the control lever 51 with the respective stop pin 52 so that the packet can he slid out of the pocket 3.

As already stated the time available for the various necessary steps of movement in the region of the packing track is comparatively short. For these reasons and as already explained, provision is made that the mouthpiece 6 has already entered the poi9ket'3 towardsthe end of the movement thereof. As shown, particularly in FIG. 5, the rear end of the pocket 3 is cut away except for the top guide 3a. By this construction of the pocket it is possible to move the turret further as soon as the package has left the pocket bottom 3b, and the chain hook 11 permits this to be done.

If the plunger 4 becomes jammed in the pocket 3 the plunger 4 is no longer actuated by its drive as is known and it is, therefore, necessary immediately to stop the drive of the turret. This is conveniently effected by means of a controlled clutch which is interposed between the driving and driven sections of the drive system for the turret. In order to minimize the liability to jamming occuring a control device is conveniently included in the sheet feed means for the wrapper material which stops the machine if two wrappers simultaneously are inserted into the folder box.

In the following will be described the parts of a drive mechanism which relates to a double track embodiment of the packing machine which is diagrammatically illustrated in the FIGS. 1-6 and in which with reference to the description of the operation in connection with FIGS. 1-6 a similar operation takes place on two parallel arranged packing tracks.

The FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show the parts of the drive mechanism for the reciprocating movement of the delivery pocket 5 and the receiving pocket 9, the drive for the turret 2 and its arresting device. A motor not illustrated, drives by means of a reduction gearing a chain 101 and the latter drives a sprocket wheel 102 which rotates the main shaft 103 mounted in the machine frame R.

Drive of the pocket 5 A gear 104 secured to the main shaft 103 drives a gear 105 secured to a shaft 106. At the other end of the shaft 106 is secured a crank arm 107 which carries a crank pin 108 and the latter by means of a rod 109 is connected with a pivot pin 110 on a double armed lever 111, which lever is secured on a shaft 112 rotatably supported in the machine frame R. The lever 111 therefore is caused to oscillate back and forth about the axis of the shaft 112. The free end of the lever 111 carries on a pin 113 a slidable element, for instance a needle bearing 114 which is moveable in a guide 115 of a carriage 116 and transfers the oscillating movement of the lever 111 to the carriage 116 moveable in a straight line in the direction of the packing track. The delivery pocket 5 is attached to the carriage 116 and, of course, the size of the delivery pocket 5 is selected to corresponded to the desired size of the package. The guidance of the carriage 116 takes place by means of a rod 117 slidable supported in the upper portion of the carriage 116 and by means of a rail 118 which is engaged by rollers 119 mounted on the lower portion of the carriage 116. The rod 117 and the rail 118 are attached to the machine frame R Drive 0 the pocket 9 The gear 105 drives in addition to the crank arm 107 a gear 121 which is rotatably mounted on a pin 120. The gear 121 by means of a crank pin 122 attached hereto and a rod 123, a pivot pin 124 and a lever arm 125 rotate a shaft 126 back and forth. The shaft 126 is supported in the machine frame R and has secured thereto another lever 127 which by means of a pivot pin 128 and a rod 129 and a pivot pin 130 oscillates a double armed lever 131. The lever 131 is secured on a shaft 132 supported in the machine frame R. The lever 131 is oscillating about the axis of the shaft 132 and in doing so, operates a carriage 133 in a straight horizontal line. The carriage 133 has attached hereto the receiving pocket 9, the size of which is selected in accordance with the size of the packing. The pocket 9 therefore is moved in a straight line in the packing track. The connection of the lever 131 with the carriage 133 and the guidance of the carriage 133 are constructed in the same manner as the ones described for the carriage 116.

Drive of the turret 2 The already mentioned driven main shaft 103- has also secured thereto a sprocket wheel 134 in addition to the mentioned gear 104. The sprocket wheel 134 drives uniformely by means of a chain 135 a sprocket wheel 136, bevel gears 137, 138, and the shaft 139 an arresting gearing G of known construction. The arresting gearing G co-operates with two worm gears which are in continuous engagement with each other and of which the drive gear by means of acam is axially displaced, in order to transmit on one hand a rotative movement to the other worm gear or on the other hand brings said other gear to a stop. The driven shaft 140* and the gear 141 perform at each time a single rotative movement about an angle of 160, followed by a stoppage. The gear 141 drives by means of an intermediate gear 142 a gear 144 secured to the shaft 143 and, therefore, the gear 144 is intermittently driven. On the outer end 145 of the shaft 143 is secured a sprocket wheel 146 which by means of a chain 147 and a sprocket wheel 148 rotates a shaft 149 which has the turret 2 fixedly secured thereto so that during each opera-ting phase the turret 2 performs a rotation of 60. The shaft 149 is rotatably mounted in bearing blocks 150 and 150' which are secured to the machine frame R.

Arresting device for the turret 2 For a correct arresting of the turret 2 after each rotative movement through an angle of 60 there is secured to the main shaft 103 a sprocket wheel 151 which by means of a chain 152, a sprocket wheel 153 and a shaft 154 mounted in the bearing block 150 drives an adjustable cam disc 155. The cam disc 155 is engaged by a roller 156 on the two armed lever 157 and therefor the latter is oscillated in step with the machine about a bearing pin 158 attached to the bearing block 150. On the free end of the lever 157 is attached a locking pawl 159 and on an extension of this free arm of the lever 157 is attached one end of the tension spring 162, the other end of which is attached to the machine frame. This pawl 159 is controlled by the cam disc 155 and engages, when the turret 2 has stopped, a recess 160 in a disc 161 which is secured on the turret shaft 149.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus including a linear feed track having a gap and a turret adjacent said gap for inserting groups of rod-like articles into open-ended containers carried by said turret in which the articles are fed tosaid linear feed track and the containers are presented into said track by a step by step movement of said turret, comprising movable cell-like members adapted to reciprocate in the gap on each said of the turret in a direction coincident with the linear track so as to receive articles from said track, to feed them into the container carried by said turret, to receive containers and articles leaving said turret and to feed them for continuing movement in said linear track.

2. Apparatus for inserting groups of rod-like articles into open-ended containers, comprising a linear feed track having a gap, a turret adjacent said gap on which the containers are fed to said linear feed track and the containers are presented into said track by means of said turret for receiving said articles, first and second reciprocable cell-like members adapted to reciprocate in the gap on the two sides of the turret in a direction coincident with the linear track, the first cell-like member receiving articles from said track and feeding them into the container carried by said turret, and the second celllike member receiving articles leaving said turret in containers and feeding them for continuing movement in said linear track.

3. Apparatus for packing rod-like articles in openended containers comprising a linear feed track for such articles with a discontinuity, a rotary turret positioned tangentially to said track adjacent the discontinuity, cell elements on said turret housing open-ended containers and presenting them in alignment with the linear track of said articles, a reciprocable cell movable between one end of the linear track at said discontinuity and the cell of the turret coinciding with the linear track, and a further reciprocable cell positioned oppositely to the first named reciprocable cell and receiving an assembly of articles delivered from said turret cell together with a container surrounding them and moving up to the other end of the discontinuity in the linear track to deliver the articles and the container enclosing them into said track for further handling.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the rotary turret comprises cell elements movable in a rotary path and means to move said elements from a first radial position for receiving part-formed containers, towards a second, tangential position, where said elements are coincident with the line of the linear track, whereby assemblies of articles can be fed into a container held in said element in said second position and the articles together with the container can then be delivered into the second reciprocable cell for delivery into the linear track.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 comprising camoperated means for effecting rotation of the cell elements sequentially from the first position to the second position and means for completing folding operations upon the part-formed container in transit from the first position to the second position.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said camoperated means move the cell element with the partformcd container therein from the first position to intermediate positions parallel to the linear track and in the further movement of said turret said cell elements rotate relatively to the turret so as to remain parallel to the linear track up to the second position where the cell element comes into line with the linear track.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 comprising folder blades and means for actuating them towards and away from the cell elements to effect inward folding of top flap portions of the container to form a stiffened top edge portion thereof, said blades being operative over successive intermediate positions while the cell elements are positioned parallel to the linear track.

8. Apparatus for packing rod-like articles comprising a linear feed track for the articles including a discontinuity therein, spaced end plates forming a rotary turret positioned tangential to said linear track at said discontinuity, first and second reciprocable cells moving in the line of said linear track on each side of the position occupied by the rotary turret, means to effect intermittent stepwise rotation of the turret, a plurality of displaceable cell elements mounted between said end plates, means to insert part-formed containers into said cell elements in a first position diametrically opposite the linear feed track, means to rotate the cell elements successively in the stepwise rotation of the turret from the first radial position to two successive intermediate positions, both parallel to the linear track, and to a position still parallel to the linear track but coincident therewith, means operative in said two intermediate positions to effect successive folding of projecting fiap elements successively on the wider sides and on the narrower sides of the mouth edge of the container held in the cell element, means operative in said linear track to feed articles along said track, then into the first rcciprocable cell and thence into that cell element of the rotary turret which coincides with the feedtrack, thence in continuing movement of said feeder means into the second reciprocable cell and then, with the reciprocation thereof, into the continuing part of the linear track.

9. Apparatus for packing rod-like articles comprising a linear feed track for the articles having mutually spaced aligned sections, a rotary turret positioned tangential to said linear trackbetween said sections, reciprocable cell elements moving in the line of said linear track on each side of'the position occupied by the rotary turret, means to effect intermediate stepwise rotation of the rotary turret, a plurality of displaceable cell elements mounted on said turret, cam followers to effect rotation of said cell elements in co-relation with the rotation of the turret, a fixed cam engaged by said followers, means to insert part-formed containers into said cell elements in a first position diametrically opposite the linear feed track, said cam being designed to rotate the cell elements successively in the stepwise rotation of the turret from the first radial position to successive intermediate position parallel to the linear track and to a position still parallel to the linear track but coincident therewith, means operative in said two intermediate positions to effect successive folding of opposed projecting flap elements successively on the Wider sides and then on the narrower sides of the edge of the container held in the cell element, linearly moving feeder means operative in said linear track to feed articles along said track, then into a first reciprocable cell, thence into that cell element of the rotary turret which coincides with the feed track, thence in continuing movement of said feeder means into the second reciprocable cell and thence, with the reciprocation thereof, into the continuing part of the linear track.

19. Apparatus for packing rod-like articles in openended containers comprising a linear feed track for such articles with a discontinuity, a rotary turret positioned tangentially to said track adjacent the discontinuity, cell elements On said turret housing open-ended containers and presenting them in alignment with the linear track of said articles, a reciprocable cell movable between one-end of the linear track at said discontinuity and the cell of the turret coinciding with the linear track, a further reciprocable cell and receiving an assembly of articles delivered from said turret cell together with a container surrounding them and moving up to the other end of the discontinuity in the linear track to deliver the articles and the container enclosing them into said track for further handling, and means for rotating said turret step by step and locking it in position after each rotative step, said means including a circular disc provided with recesses at its circumference and fixedly connected to said turret in coaxially relation, a locking pawl adapted to engage said recesses, a pivotally mounted lever having said locking pawl attached theerto, and rotatable cam means in operative engagement with said pivotally mounted lever and adapted to operate the same so as to disengage said locking pawl from said recesses in said circular disc.

11. Apparatus for packing rod-like articles in openended containers comprising a linear feed track for such articles with a discontinuity, a rotary turret positioned tangentially to said track adjacent the discontinuity, cell elements on said turret housing open-ended containers and presenting them in alignment with the linear track of said articles, a reciprocable cell movable between one end of the linear track atsaid-discontinuity and the cell of the turret coinciding with the linear track, a further reciprocable cell and receiving an assembly of articles delivered from said turret cell together with a container surrounding them and moving up to the other end of the discontinuity in the linear track to deliver the articles and the container enclosing them into said track for further handling, and means for rotating said turret step by step and locking it in position after each rotative step, said means including a circular disc provided with recesses at its circumference and fixedly connected to said turret in coaxially relation, a locking pawl adaptedto engage said recesses, a pivotally mounted lever having said lockingtpawl attached thereto, and rotatable cam me ns in operative engagement with said pivotally mounted lever and adapted to operate the same so as to disengage said locking pawl from said recesses in said circular disc, said cam means being provided with an adjustable cam for varying its action upon said pivotally mounted lever, and means for urging said lever and the locking pawl thereon toward its operative engagement with said circular disc.

12. In an apparatus for packing cigarettes in containers, comprising a rotary member, cell elements mounted on said rotary member for movement from a radial position to a tangential position with respect to said rotary member, a linear packing track having gaps, said packing track being arranged for conveying the articles to be packed and to receive containers from the cells of said rotary member, and reciprocating cell elements in the gaps in the packing track on both sides of the cell elements in the rotary member movable in the same direction with the packing track, the reciprocating cell elements on each side of the cell elements carried by the rotary member being arranged to coincide with the cell elements carried by said rotary member when said cell elements are in their tangential position and aligned with the packing track.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12 in which the reciprocating cell elements at each end of the rotary cell element are positioned in line with the packing track and arranged to move in opposite directions toward and away from the cell member carried by the rotary member.

14. An apparatus according to claim 12 in which the cell elements of the rotary member are rotatably mounted on the rotary member and controlled in the course of their movement on entering the packing track such that a mouthpiece of the cell on the entry side of the packing track will enter the cell of the rotary member before the latter has stopped in a position coincident with the packing track.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 in which rotation of the cell elements of the rotary member are controlled so that they assume working position which are initially radial and thereafter in positions tangential to the rotary member and parallel to the packing track.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15 in which a feeder device is arranged adjacent the rotary element for inserting partly formed container blanks into the cell elements of the rotary member, and a plunger movable in said feeder device for feeding said container blanks into the cell elements of said rotary member.

'17. An apparatus according to claim 15 in which folder means are arranged adjacent to the rotary member to operate in parallel relation to one another and to the packing track.

18. An apparatus according to claim 17 characterized in that the folder means includes folding elements for folding in and letting down the wide and narrow edges of the containers, and means for reciprocating said folder elements.

19. An apparatus according to claim 12 characterized in that the cell elements carried by the rotary member are provided with shortened side walls and include a projecting portion on the cover side, abutments engageable with the bottom of the containers carried by the cell elements of the rotary member, stop and lever means on said rotary member for moving said abutments out of engagement with the containers, and means for controlling said stop and lever means.

20. In an apparatus for packaging articles in containers, a packing track having a gap, an anticle feeder on said track, a receiver on said track in spaced relation from said feeder, a rotary member adjacent said packing track, a series of circumferentially spaced cell members on said rotary member, means for moving said rotary member into said gap from a position in which the cell member extends radially to a position in which the cell member is substantially tangential to said rotary member and extends in alignment with said packing track between said feeder and receiver, and a pusher movable in a direction longitudinally of said track for discharging articles from said feeder into a container carried by one of said cell members when the same is positioned in said gap and to displace the container and article from said cell member into said receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 665,241 Ludington Jan. 1, 1901 1,125,331 Jagemnerg Jan. 19, 1915 1,525,169 DeLeers Feb. 3, 1925 1,932,052 Stocks Oct. 24, 1933 2,512,922 Dearsley June 27, 1950 2,870,584 Sherrill Jan. 27, 1959 

